Awesome article!

Most of the time I usually only feel this FLOW when I am working on my own websites, and not that much now with clients. It’s just too bad it takes a lot of time to complete and in the end I am got getting paid for it unless potential clients view it, like it and contact me. There are some odd occasion at my full-time job where I get to work on a project that I feel either creatively inspired to work on or eager to develop based on something new I will learn in the process.

As a past equestrian, I’ve been in The Zone many, many times. What a place to be. It’s beyond words - and I’m a writer. Can you trap it in your work, capture that feeling? I gotta say… close, maybe, but replicate that Zone athletes revel in? I’m skeptical.

Still, I’ve had that moments when I’ve come *this* close to hitting that mark. And man… what a feeling. Time stands still, words flow, and it’s all good.

All I’m missing is 1500 pounds of power and a saddle. I guess a pen will have to substitute.

Somehow I don’t think my clients would want to hear that minutes become hours, and hours become days!

In fact, being in a state of flow is what allows me to work quickly and know exactly what to do in a given situation without a moment’s hesitation. Flow is the opposite of over-analyzing something: flow is having the answer without even thinking.

Personally, I have found that environmental distractions are flow-killers: instant messaging, email alerts, family and friends, the TV on, etc. Remove these distractions to better enter a state of flow.

Great article, Jon. Thanks!

Jessica, I agree with you 100%. The jobs where I had the most flow were the jobs where I lost my sense of self and all my healthy boundaries around work. Back when I was still an “employee”, this was a real boon to the companies I worked for, but I was never fairly compensated or appreciated for the work I did during that time. There were times when I was working 96 hour weeks, and LOVING it, but missing out on life and friends and fun.

I don’t want to be a wet blanket. I think flow is a great thing and I hope everyone gets to experience it, but like everything else it needs to be kept in perspective and moderation. It’s great to enjoy the work we do, and to really be able to channel our creativity and productivity to a level where we do great things, but it’s easy to go overboard with it - especially when you are in the “zone”.

Yeah I think I only get into the zone when working on personal projects. Even if I’m working on a super cool project for a client, I’d still rather be doing my own thing.

Having said that though, like actors in the movie industry, you need to choose your next role carefully. Otherwise you’ll end up like Dennis Hopper and star in B Grade trash like Waterworld

Hey gang,

Great comments all around! A few more thoughts…

1. Flow is not, in and of itself, as bad thing. In fact Csikszentmihalyi’s research over dozens of years makes it pretty clear that the more flow you have in all aspects of your life, the happier you are. So, you’ve got to differentiate between the life-enhancing impact of the flow state and the inability to set boundaries between work and personal life. They are two very different things. Life-balancing, like creating flow, is a skill that, for some people, comes easily, but for most, especially creative types, takes a serious commitment. But, it’s important not to confuse the two.

Flow is good. Always good, whether it’s in work, in personal relationships or pursuits. The inability to balance to allocate your energies to what’s most important in life is not. And, the two are not, by default necessarily linked.

2. It’s important not to associate being “underpaid and overworked” with flow as a necessary element of that state. It’s not. That is a condition that exists independent of flow and would likely continue to exist were you in a state of flow or not. That’s about the way you build your business and, again, it’s important not to associate being taken advantage of as being a “risk” of being able to access a flow state.

If anything, accessing a flow state allows you to work so much more effectively, be more creative, solve problems more easily, be more innovative and work faster. This can become a huge professional asset, not detractor, if you work it correctly, by allowing it to become a giant differentiating point and using it to raise your fees, take on less work and be more choosy about who you work with. Allowing yourself to be professionally abused, because you have the ability to tap into flow on a regular basis isn’t about flow…it’s about you. And, the great thing about this realization is that it empowers you to not be a victim of circumstance, but a master of flow and of life!

3. Last thought on environmental distractions. This is very individual, but I know one of the best and fastest copywriters around these days, a guy who get’s paid a ton of money to write one sales letter. He writes lightning fast, nearly always drops almost instantly into a flow state and he actually writes with Led Zeplin blaring, IM and e-mail open, the TV on and the phones ringing. Environmental distractions may, indeed, make it a bit tougher to “enter” the flow state, but the deeper you get into it, the less they matter. In fact, very often, people in the zone report not being aware of anything outside of the zone-state, while they’re in it, even when there is a ton going on all around them. Food for thought!

Idil says: “it’s kind of very hard to get ‘in the zone’ when time is basically against you.”
If you feel time is against you on all of your projects, you need to estimate your LOE better. If a client comes to me and wants a quote, I estimate the hours and pad it by ~10%. If you constantly find yourself working to the last second on deadlines, add more hours and days into your bid! Using a time tracker (I use toggl.com) helps you find out really how long it takes you to do a project. Compare that to your bid and if you’re not coming in under your bid, you need to consider that when you estimate.

We all need to train our clients to expect realistic deadlines

Jonathan Fields: The example you gave of the individual who worked incredibly fast and dedicated despite the incredible noise and distraction around him is a perfect example of hyperfocus. It’s not a good thing! What if the phone rang and it was his client, calling to tell him rush changes that needed to be made, and he didn’t even hear it? He’d just be wasting his time. What if something more dire happened and he didn’t notice that! It’s also just detrimental to one’s mental health! Yes he gets his work done fast, and I’m sure it’s good quality, but there is a difference between being able to focus on your work and ignore distractions, and being completely oblivious to those distractions. Wouldn’t it just make SENSE to turn off the TV and radio while you’re working? Why would you even have both ON at the same time? It doesn’t make sense to work that way.

We need to be able to pull ourselves away from work and hobbies in order to function in daily life. It’s great to be able to work so intensely on projects you enjoy or even don’t enjoy but pay the bills, but it’s not healthy to work too long on the same thing. Especially when most of us are in front of computers all day Who else has to go to the optometrist every six months, huh?

Great article! I’m new to freelancing, so I find this article a very inspiring starting point for me.

I find that the only things that bring me out of the flow are being yelled at or me being lazy. Other than that I don’t get distracted. If I stop working to check email or read some feeds its because I’m feeling lazy, not because I was distracted. I was wanting a distraction and went looking for it. I do find it difficult sometimes to switch gears. As Freelancers we where so many hats. I enjoy doing graphic design work or very targeted html/css coding work alot. Managing large web projects takes a bit more energy and requires me to do work that I don’t flow as well in.

Great article. I felt the section titled “Flow begins in your first-contact with a prospect” was really on the money. I’ve been Freelancing for about a year now and I’m just now starting to think about passing on jobs that come up. I want to take on more projects I enjoy and less work.

Fantastic article. Yes, I’ve been looking for flow more and more in my projects. It’s my main reason for starting to specialize in animation instead of trying to be jack of all trades. And I’ve gotten much pickier about my clients as well, choosing to steer clear of those that i think will make my life a living hell. The point is to do less work (at fantastic quality) for more money, and enjoy life in between.

“Newsflash, if you’ve got lifesucking, low-paying, flow-gobbling clients, the problem isn’t with them…it’s with you!”

Wow, I totally agree with the above statement. That’s as true in picking clients as it is for any other facet of your life. For instance, I got fired early last year from a really bad job. I eventually came to the conclusion that it was my fault, for I should have quit knowing how bad it was and how things always seemed to be stacked against me. If I had quit, I could have freed up time to find something that was a better fit… I guess I was just scared, or a glutton for punishment. Fortunately, it was getting fired that prompted my freelance career. Now I only work on projects I LOVE (because I’m helluv picky), get paid more and work less than any of my full-time friends. I guess everything happens for a reason.

Wow, there have been a lot of great comments on this post so far! However, one thing I thought of as I was reading the original post wasn’t brought up in the comments, so I wanted to add it as my take on the subject.

I’ve experienced the “flow” state before. At one time I thought it was just a creative state. However, as Jonathan points out in his comment - I’ve realized that there are times I’m a flow state just going about my life. But, the difference is, I no longer call it a flow state, or creative state. I’ve realized that the “flow” portion of my state is a byproduct of being in emotional balance.

Over the past year, I’ve been actively working on improving my ability to return to emotional balance and stay there longer. Not that I was super out of balance before; I’ve just become much more aware of my reactions and responses to life. As I’ve become more aware of this, I’ve found that the times of emotional balance lead to a “flow” state in my work as well as with my interactions with other people.

It’s not so much a hyper aware/limited focus state, but rather an overall feeling of being in the moment and being able to work with whatever I’m doing in an effective “flow” like state.

flow, zone, all of the comments seem to know the feeling, but what is happening during that feeling… i think the mind has stop, self-concepts have quietened …. and so the way to get it, and retain it, keep the mind quiet

Jonathan - I’m sorry, but when I read all this sweetness and light I just see purple kool-aid. Like I said, flow is great, and some of my best and most satisfying work was done when “in the zone”, but if you are going to try to sell it as this panacea that is “always good”, and disregard the very real concerns that come along with it - and real concerns come with anything in this life - that’s where I get off the bus. I don’t think it does anyone a service to speak so idealistically, nor do I think it’s fair to imply that people who struggle with their creativity and balance are “just doing it wrong”.

magical thinking may feel really nice, and it may boost the ego and draw a lot of attention from people seeking answers, but that doesn’t make it effective or useful to those of us who prefer “the real thing”. ultimately this type of thing is just a colossal wank, and an affront to rational thought.

I agree that flow is very important to experience.

But I don’t walk away from business just because I’m not flowing. There’s a higher calling for me. It’s called *professionalism.*

I may not take on a client twice if I was bored to tears on project where I assess that it was the work for the particular client and not something I ate.

I have a business to run. I can’t afford - no matter how rich and no matter how close to immortality - the narcissism of needing some “emotion/performance” state before I say yes.

The “yes” comes first. Then it’s up to me to rise to the occasion and generate the flow from within.

Your mileage may vary.

The divine spark, so meditative… creating and enjoying it like a child! One of the few really meaningfull articles around that make me stay!

@Jessica

I think that if you love your job you don’t need to spend 22 hours a day, the flow is necessary to work faster cause you are hyperfocused, then you have time for your family or other things… I think that’s the point!

I completely disagree with Jessica-I think she’s subconsciously denying the fact that her job probably sucks and she has no soul anymore.

This article made the most sense out of anything I read all 2007! As a competetive skier and mountain biker - now graphic designer, I completely relate to this article. Although not quite as raw as being dialed when big mountain skiing because of the actual adrenaline involved, graphic design does give me a similar feeling. I definitely get into the same sort of zone, and instead of feeling pure adrenaline and accomplishment, I become elated in a different way-especially when I’ve been at something for a while and it finally evolves into a great conceptual piece.

Great article! Very interesting and helpful.